Dusk Till Dawn

Trees swept by in a blur. Legs burning and breathes coming out in pants. I kept running, urging my feet to keep moving, to not fail. Leaping over countless branches and pushing against leaves as the forest air turned foggier. Heavier.

I executed each leap flawlessly. The movement coming to me naturally. I have ran this path many times. I know what stands there after every turn. After every mile. This is my land after all. My home.

I turned my focus to the noises behind me. I can still hear the growls of frustration from the wolf chasing me. It was too close. He was too close, and still getting closer. My senses jolted. How could he have possibly gotten so close to me? He can’t catch me. Not today.

At this realization my feet picked up speed. Pushing into the earth harshly. Kicking up the fresh soil. Completely ignoring all obstacles, I started to carelessly crash through the branches. Not giving a care about the scratches that were going to cover my pale skin or the erratic drumming of my heart. I need to get away.

As I sped up, the noise behind me turned to air; blending into the howling of the wind, the rustling of the branches, the movement of the land beneath my feet, the cool air of dawn.

I slow down after I was sure I lost him and turned to hide behind the foot of a tree. Leaning against the rough surface of the trunk. Panting, slightly bent over. Taking a moment to let the air flow into my lungs before I began once more. I just needed a moment. Just one moment.

It isn’t like me to tire so fast. For some strange reason the air was getting blocked away from my lungs. The inside of my throat is dried, making every breath painful. Yet I have to keep going: he can’t find me. But that isn’t possible. He will find me, he always finds me.

After a few minutes of deep breathes, and trying my hardest to not cough up my lungs, I finally calmed my ragged breaths.

I need to bolt out of here. The faster I finish, the quicker I can make it to my bed. Oh my darling bed, I will return to you soon.

I sighed, probably a bit too loudly. Just a few more miles, and then fifty more after that. No big deal.

I straightened my back, laying all my weight upon my spine. Each vertebrae screamed at me to lay down and take a nap. It was a tempting offer... if I wasn’t being chased.

I took my right foot and placed it in front of my left. The leaves crunching beneath my feet. Or so I thought.

I leaped, covering three feet...

Before immediately being pushed to the earth. So much for going to bed.

My head smashed against the compact ground, a groan escaping my throat. The wolf stood in front of me, growling at me as I stayed on the ground. He then stepped over on top of me: predator protecting its prize.

His head suddenly snapped back as he lifted his neck towards the morning sky. A blood curdling howl sliced through the trees: sending birds fluttering to the heavens above, alarming the creatures of the forest to run for their lives.

The wolf brought his head back down and snarled at me. His piercing breathe enveloped my senses. He bared his teeth and his jaw itched closer to my face. He’s trying to intimidate me. Pathetic.

“Your breath stinks,” I spoke to the creature atop me, while trying to desperately shove him off.

The wolf kept staring at me, not taking his eyes off for a second. Slightly tilting his head, listening to my words before truly hearing me.

He stepped away, still keeping his eyes on me. Getting ready to chase after me if I dared to run.

I stood up and walked toward the beast. Step by step until I stood in front of its body. I raised my arm and brought it to rest atop his head. He bent his neck slightly. I ran my fingers through his deep fur. Feeling every strand, stroking ever so lightly. So many shades of brown. From his eyes to his fur. So much detail when you just looked close enough.

He brought down his face, nuzzling his cheek to mine. Playfully licking. Leaving a trail of saliva on my cheek. I laughed and backed up.

“Shift,” I commanded my friend.

And so he did.

He began to grunt in pain. His dark fur retracting back within his skin; one strand at a time. His large muscles becoming smaller, more fragile, more human. His sharp teeth swallowed by his gums. His bones cracking one by one, shifting into his other form. No longer a wolf stood in front of me, but a man. A very naked man.

His legs unable to support him any longer. He took a step forward before collapsing onto his knees. Breathing heavily in pain. Yet he still kept his eyes trained on me.

The shift is painful at first. To change from human to wolf you must break and rearrange each bone in your body. Crack them in half to become your other half. It’s not nearly as graceful or pleasant as in the movies.

I approached the man, sitting next to his body. He leaned into me immediately, placing his head onto my lap. I started playing with the strands of his hair that now only covered his head. Brushing his hair ever so gently. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed. Not so tough now are we?

I kept watch while he rested. Keeping my ears alert to every sound. There’s always a chance of an attack, even here within the walls of the pack. It’s never safe; lesson number one of being loyalty.

I closed my eyes and listened. Letting my wolf senses take over. I listened to the crinkling of the leaves as they let gravity lead their descent. To the movement of the small creatures covering the miles of forest. To the sound of the birds flapping their wings as they breathed in the fresh air of freedom. Freedom to go wherever they pleased. Freedom to journey whenever they wished.

“If you had ran any slower back there,” I looked down, turning my attention to the boy on my lap, “you would have probably started going backwards.”

I rolled my eyes, “Oh please Knight, I just thought I should let you win for once. Wouldn’t want to bring down your confidence now would we?”

“Cause he lacks so much in that area.”

I jumped, accidentally pushing Knight off my lap and turned my neck to look at the girl who had somehow managed to sneak up on us.

“Goddammit Liss! Stop sneaking up on people,” I exclaimed to her.

“But you’re so much fun to scare,” She replied back to me. “Isn’t she Knight?”

Knight was spitting on the ground, trying to get out the dirt that had managed to get in his mouth when I pushed him off. “I have to agree with little miss assassin on this one.” he swatted at his tongue. “You’re quite fun to scare Flora.”

“Like you’ve ever agreed with me,” I stuck my tongue at him. He stuck out his. Oh bad move.

I grabbed a clump of dirt and threw it at him. It landed straight into his mouth. Head-shot.

Lysandra took out a pair of pants from her backpack, throwing them on Knights lap. “Stop messing around and get up you two. Flora you need to head back. Your parents need to speak with you.”

“Why?” I stood up, brushing the dirt covering my pants. “We just started training.”

“Not sure. All I know is that they want to speak with you as soon as possible.”

Knight stood up next to me, buckling his pants. “It’s probably about the meeting tonight.”

“Meeting?” I tilted my head slightly. “What meeting?”

“The Alpha meeting,” he paused, taking in my confused face. “You seriously don’t know about this?” he raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you know, being the daughter of the Alpha and Luna and all of that?”

“You know my parents don’t tell me anything,” I crossed my arms across my chest, glaring at them both. “What’s it about anyways?”

Lysandra shrugged her shoulders, “No one really knows.”

I turned my head towards Knight. He’s the Beta’s son and his dad basically tells him everything. If anyone’s gonna know information, it’s him.

“Oh don’t look at me,” he shook his head. “I don’t know anything either. This is the one thing my dad refuses to tell me about. This is all on you to figure out.”

I sighed, giving up. Guess I’ll have to find out on my own.

“Hey Liss,” I turned my attention to her, changing the topic. “Where’s Darius? Wasn’t he supposed to meet up with us to train?”

She let out a tired breath, fidgeting with her fingers. “He was, but then he got a call from your father this morning and then left without telling me anything,” she sat down on the log behind her. Her forehead creasing. The worry seeping off of her. Oh boy.

Me and Knight looked at one another. He slightly nodded his head. We both walked over, taking a seat on either side of her. Let the therapy session begin.

“Hey,” I took her gloved hands into mine. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine,” she snatched her hands from mine.

“I’m fine my ass,” Knight scoffed through our link. I chuckled.

I went to scold her, but he beat me to it, “Liss, when has fine ever meant fine in the history of fine?” he exclaimed. “Now stop with the bullshit lies and tell us what’s wrong before we kindly beat it out of you.”

“You actually think we could beat her ass?”

“Pff, of course not. But she doesn’t need to know that,” I looked up and saw him wink. “Just watch. This is the only way to crack her stubborn ass.”

“By getting her angry? You remember that she’s an assassin in training, right? She can slit our throats while we are sleeping and do her hair at the same time.”

I felt him poke at our mind link, “Stop whining and watch. You’re giving me a headache.”

He closed the link before I could say another word. “Douchebag,” I sent through the closed bond. Yet, I swear I saw his cheeks lift up.

“You’re right,” Liss finally spoke, picking at her jeans. “I’m not fine. Not at all.”

“Shouldn’t she be harder to crack? Isn’t she an assassin-” It was me who closed the link this time. Ha, suck on that Cruso.

I still heard his distant growls through the link, but I ignored it. I was too deep into therapy mode right now to give a care. I’ll beat him up later.

“It’s about Darius, isn’t it?” I asked her. She nodded her head.

“What did that idiot do?” Knight questioned her. “Say the word and I’ll put him down on his ass.” he spoke strictly.

But me and Liss both know he’s not serious. We’ve all known each other since our childhood. And while Liss is like my sister, there’s nothing like the brotherly bond Knight and Darius share.

I still remember the day Darius became part of the pack. Knights parents had found him in their backyard, scavenging for food. Clearly malnourished. He looked like a walking corpse.

He was only six-years-old, and he had ran away from home. A six-year-old boy, a rogue, left to fend for himself.

He had scars and bruises all over his body. And a limp that you couldn’t miss. He wouldn’t say a word to anyone, but he didn’t need to. His story was as clear as day.

Fortunately, Knights parents found him and took him in with open arms. That very night, they called upon everybody and declared him a member of the Zora pack so that the pain of being alone would leave him. Being a rogue leaves an open cut on your heart that only being a part of a pack can heal, and they wanted to heal the cut as soon as possible.

The Cruso family has raised him ever since. Treating him as if he has been with them since the day he was born. Raising him as their own.

A week after he joined the pack, he came to school alongside Knight. Knight introduced him to me and Liss, and we took him into our group immediately. He didn’t even say a word to us until a few months had passed. What were the first words he said, you may ask?

Shut up.

He told Lysandra to shut up.

You could say that they have been a match since the start. She talks and he listens. It was no shock when they told us they were mates.

I felt warm inside, thinking about it all. We’ve come a long way together. Now that we are eighteen, things are gonna change, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for what’s to come.

I tuned back to the yelling going on beside me.

“I’m serious Liss, I’m gonna-”

“You aren’t gonna do anything to my mate, Knight. Put a single finger on him and I will slit your throat in your sleep, got it?” she shrieked at him, aiming her finger at his chest. She wasn’t even yelling at me and yet I still felt threatened.

Knight scooted away from her, holding up his hands in surrender, “Alright woman, I won’t touch him. Now please stop looking at me like your about to chop off my balls.”

Lysandra scoffed at his antics. She lowered back into her seat and began playing with her hair again. “It’s nothing really it’s just,” she looked up at me and I smiled, encouraging her to keep talking. She took a deep breath, “The closer we get to the mating ceremony, the less he talks to me. I know being a royal guard is hard but,” she placed her head in her hands, “Some nights he won’t even come home from work. He’s my mate, and I’m not even sure he wants me. It shouldn’t be this way-”

“Hey,” I took her hands and held them in mine. “You’re being mated to your mate. Your true mate. Not many people have the chance to find that person. Especially at eighteen. Darius would be a damn fool to not want you, and you’re a damn fool for not seeing the love in his eyes every time he looks at you. So quit thinking that he doesn’t want you.”

“Floras right you know.” Knight took over, grinning slightly. “He’s loved you since the day he met you. He may have not known it then, but deep down I know he felt it.” He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“He loved you back then and he loves you now, mating bond or not. Darius is my brother, and he can be an absolute idiot at times, but he would never put anything before you. Something serious has been going on within the pack, there’s no question about it. And I’m sure the reason he cares so much is because it affects you. He’s your mate: Your lover, your protector, your best friend. He’s already yours, Liss,” he gave her a smile so genuine and sweet that even I felt the warmth of it rush through me.

Lysandra was smiling as well, her eyes glistening in the morning sun.

She placed an arm around each of us, pulling us into a warm hug. “Thank you,” she spoke softly, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I needed that.”

We stayed in each other’s embrace. Taking in the warmth and comfort, while giving it away. Our breathes coming out in sync. Smooth and steady. A hug so gentle, yet so strong. Holding us together, yet still letting us breathe. Perfect. It felt perfect.

“So,” Knight was the first to pull away. “I think we should take Flora back home before the alpha sends out a search party.”

We finally let go of one another and started to undress. Stripping to our bare bodies.

We placed all of our clothes inside of Lysandra’s backpack. She loosened the straps and placed it on her back. “To Zora?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I gave her a smile. “Let’s go home.”

“Last one back is a rotten egg.” Knight yelled and ran. Lysandra right behind him, cursing at him and his childish games. I laughed and ran after them.

Gaining speed, urging my feet to go so fast I was no longer in control. I saw them leap off and disappear. I felt the change of soil to rock beneath my feet, and I leapt to. I leapt off the edge of the cliff. Into the utter abyss. The cold air changed as the sun finally rose above the mountains, gracing the world with her warmth.

As I kept falling, the air breeze across my skin. Sending chills down every path it touched. For a moment, I felt as if I was a bird. A bird so utterly free. No cage or walls to stop it.

With the freedom to rise, but also to fall.